Lùjiāfúyīn 3

1 Gāisǎtíbìliú zaì wèi dì shí wǔ nián , Bĕndiūbǐlāduō zuò Yóutaì xúnfǔ , Xīlǜ zuò Jiālìlì fēn fēng de wáng , tā xiōngdi Féilì zuò Yǐtǔlìyà hé Tèlākĕní dìfang fēn fēng de wáng , Lǚsāniè zuò Yàbǐlìní fēn fēng de wáng ,

2 Yànà hé Gāiyàfǎ zuò Dàjìsī , nàshí , Sājiālìyà de érzi Yuēhàn zaì kuàngyĕ lǐ , shén de huà líndào tā .

3 Tā jiù lái dào Yuēdànhé yī daì dìfang , xuānjiǎng huǐgǎi de xǐlǐ , shǐ zuì dé shè .

4 Zhèng rú xiānzhī Yǐsaìyàshū shang suǒ jì de huà , shuō , zaì kuàngyĕ yǒu rén shēng hǎn zhe shuō , yùbeì zhǔ de dào , xiū zhí tāde lù .

5 Yīqiè shānwā dōu yào tián mǎn , dà xiǎo shāngāng dōu yào xiāo píng . wān wānqū qū de dìfang yào gǎi wèi zhèngzhí , gāo gāo dī dī de dàolù yào gǎi wèi píngtǎn .

6 Fán shì xuèqì de , dōu yào jiàn shén de jiùēn .

7 Yuēhàn duì nà chūlai yào shòu tā xǐ de zhòngrén shuō , dúshé de zhǒngleì , shuí zhǐshì nǐmen taóbì jiānglái de fèn nù ne .

8 Nǐmen yào jiē chū guǒzi lái , yǔ huǐgǎi de xīn xiàng chèn , búyào zìjǐ xīnli shuō , yǒu Yàbólāhǎn wèi wǒmen de zǔzong . wǒ gàosu nǐmen , shén néng cóng zhèxie shítou zhōng , gĕi Yàbólāhǎn xīngqǐ zǐsūn lái .

9 Xiànzaì fǔzi yǐjing fàng zaì shùgēn shang , fán bù jiē hǎo guǒzi de shù , jiù kǎn xià lái diū zaì huǒ lǐ .

10 Zhòngrén wèn tā shuō , zhèyàng wǒmen dāng zuò shénme ne .

11 Yuēhàn huídá shuō , yǒu liǎng jiàn yīshang de , jiù fēn gĕi nà méiyǒu de . yǒu shíwù de yĕ dāng zhèyàng xíng .

12 Yòu yǒu shuìlì lái shòuxǐ , wèn tā shuō , fūzǐ , wǒmen dāng zuò shénme ne .

13 Yuēhàn shuō , chúle lì déng de shùmù , búyào duō qǔ .

14 Yòu yǒu bīng dīng wèn tā shuō , wǒmen dāng zuò shénme ne . Yuēhàn shuō , búyào yǐ qiángbào daì rén , yĕ búyào ézhà rén , zìjǐ yǒu qiánliáng jiù dāng zhīzú .

15 Bǎixìng zhǐwang Jīdū lái de shíhou , rén dōu xīn cāiyí , huòzhĕ Yuēhàn shì Jīdū .

16 Yuēhàn shuō , wǒ shì yòng shuǐ gĕi nǐmen shīxǐ , dàn yǒu yī wèi nénglì bǐ wǒ gèng dà de yào lái , wǒ jiù shì gĕi tā jiĕ xiédaì yĕ bú peì . tā yào yòng Shènglíng yǔ huǒ gĕi nǐmen shīxǐ .

17 Tā shǒu lǐ ná zhe bòji , yào yáng jìng tāde cháng , bǎ maìzi shōu zaì cāng lǐ , bǎ kāng yòng bú miè de huǒshào jìn le .

18 Yuēhàn yòu yòng xǔduō biéde huà quàn bǎixìng , xiàng tāmen chuán fúyin .

19 Zhǐshì fēn fēng de wáng Xīlǜ , yīn tā xiōngdi zhī qī Xīluódǐ de yuángù , bìng yīn tā suǒ xíng de yīqiè è shì , shòu le Yuēhàn de zébeì ,

20 Yòu Lìngwaì tiān le yī jiàn , jiù shì bǎ Yuēhàn shōu zaì jiānlǐ .

21 Zhòng bǎixìng dōu shòu le xǐ , Yēsū yĕ shòu le xǐ , zhèng dǎogào de shíhou , tiān jiù kāi le ,

22 Shènglíng jiànglín zaì tā shēnshang , xíngzhuàng fǎng fú gēzi . yòu yǒu shēngyīn cóng tiān shang lái , shuō , nǐ shì wǒde aì zǐ , wǒ xǐyuè nǐ .

23 Yēsū kāitóu chuán dào , niánjì yuē yǒu sān shí suì , yī rén kàn lái , tā shì Yūesè de érzi , Yūesè shì Xīlǐ de érzi ,

24 Xīlǐ shì Mǎtǎ de érzi , Mǎtǎ shì Lìwèi de érzi , Lìwèi shì Maìjī de érzi , Maìjī shì Yǎná de érzi , Yǎná shì Yūesè de érzi .

25 Yūesè shì Mǎtātíyà de érzi , Mǎtātíyà shì Yàmósī de érzi , Yàmósī shì Náhóng de érzi , Náhóng shì Yǐsīlì de érzi , Yǐsīlì shì Nágāi de érzi ,

26 Nágāi shì Mǎyē de érzi , Mǎyē shì Mǎtātíyà de érzi , Mǎtātíyà shì Xīmĕi de érzi , Xīmĕi shì Yūesè de érzi , Yūesè shì Yóudà de érzi , Yóudà shì Yuēyàná de érzi ,

27 Yuēyàná shì Lìsā de érzi , Lìsǎ shì Suǒluóbābó de érzi , Suǒluóbābó shì Sǎlātiĕ de érzi , Sǎlātiĕ shì Nílì de érzi , Nílì shì Maìjī de érzi ,

28 Maìjī shì Yàdǐ de érzi , Yàdǐ shì Gēsāng de érzi , Gēsāng shì Yǐmódāng de érzi , Yǐmódāng shì Ěr de érzi , Ěr shì Yuēxì de érzi ,

29 Yuēxì shì Yǐlìyǐxiè de érzi , Yǐlìyǐxiè shì YuēLìng de érzi , YuēLìng shì Mǎtǎ de érzi , Mǎtǎ shì Lìwèi de érzi ,

30 Lìwèi shì Xīmiǎn de érzi , Xīmiǎn shì Yóudà de érzi , Yóudà shì Yūesè de érzi , Yūesè shì Yuēnán de érzi , Yuēnán shì Yǐlìyàjìng de érzi ,

31 Yǐlìyàjìng shì Mǐlìyà de érzi , Mǐlìyà shì Mǎinán de érzi , Mǎinán shì Mǎdátāde érzi , Mǎdátā shì Nádān de érzi , Nádān shì Dàwèi de érzi ,

32 Dàwèi shì Yēxī de érzi , Yēxī shì Ébeìdé de érzi , Ébeìdé shì Bōesī de érzi , Bōesī shì Sāmén de érzi , Sāmén shì Náshùn de érzi ,

33 Náshùn shì Yàmǐnádá de érzi , Yàmǐnádá shì Yàlán de érzi , Yàlán shì Xīsīlún de érzi , Xīsīlún shì Fǎlēisī de érzi , Fǎlēisī shì Yóudà de érzi ,

34 Yóudà shì Yǎgè de érzi , Yǎgè shì Yǐsā de érzi , Yǐsā shì Yàbólāhǎn de érzi , Yàbólāhǎn shì Tālā de érzi , Tālā shì Náhè de érzi ,

35 Náhè shì Xīlù de érzi , Xīlù shì Lāwú de érzi , Lāwú shì Fǎlè de érzi , Fǎlè shì Xībǎi de érzi , Xībǎi shì Shālā de érzi ,

36 Shālā shì Gāinán de érzi , Gāinán shì Yàfǎsā de érzi , Yàfǎsā shì Shǎn de érzi , Shǎn shì Nuóyà de érzi , Nuóyà shì Lāmaì de érzi ,

37 Lāmaì shì Mǎtǔsǎlā de érzi , Mǎtǔsǎlā shì Yǐnuò de érzi , Yǐnuò shì Yǎliè de érzi , Yǎliè shì Mǎlèliè de érzi , Mǎlèliè shì Gāinán de érzi , Gāinán shì Yǐnuóshì de érzi ,

38 Yǐnuóshì shì Sètè de érzi , Sètè shì Yàdāng de érzi , Yàdāng shì shén de érzi .

Lùjiāfúyīn 3 Commentary

Chapter 3

John the Baptist's ministry. (1-14) John the Baptist testifies concerning Christ. (15-20) The baptism of Christ. (21,22) The genealogy of Christ. (23-38)

Verses 1-14 The scope and design of John's ministry were, to bring the people from their sins, and to their Saviour. He came preaching, not a sect, or party, but a profession; the sign or ceremony was washing with water. By the words here used John preached the necessity of repentance, in order to the remission of sins, and that the baptism of water was an outward sign of that inward cleansing and renewal of heart, which attend, or are the effects of true repentance, as well as a profession of it. Here is the fulfilling of the Scriptures, ( Isaiah 40:3 ) , in the ministry of John. When way is made for the gospel into the heart, by taking down high thoughts, and bringing them into obedience to Christ, by levelling the soul, and removing all that hinders us in the way of Christ and his grace, then preparation is made to welcome the salvation of God. Here are general warnings and exhortations which John gave. The guilty, corrupted race of mankind is become a generation of vipers; hateful to God, and hating one another. There is no way of fleeing from the wrath to come, but by repentance; and by the change of our way the change of our mind must be shown. If we are not really holy, both in heart and life, our profession of religion and relation to God and his church, will stand us in no stead at all; the sorer will our destruction be, if we do not bring forth fruits meet for repentance. John the Baptist gave instructions to several sorts of persons. Those that profess and promise repentance, must show it by reformation, according to their places and conditions. The gospel requires mercy, not sacrifice; and its design is, to engage us to do all the good we can, and to be just to all men. And the same principle which leads men to forego unjust gain, leads to restore that which is gained by wrong. John tells the soldiers their duty. Men should be cautioned against the temptations of their employments. These answers declared the present duty of the inquirers, and at once formed a test of their sincerity. As none can or will accept Christ's salvation without true repentance, so the evidence and effects of this repentance are here marked out.

Verses 15-20 John the Baptist disowned being himself the Christ, but confirmed the people in their expectations of the long-promised Messiah. He could only exhort them to repent, and assure them of forgiveness upon repentance; but he could not work repentance in them, nor confer remission on them. Thus highly does it become us to speak of Christ, and thus humbly of ourselves. John can do no more than baptize with water, in token that they ought to purify and cleanse themselves; but Christ can, and will baptize with the Holy Ghost; he can give the Spirit, to cleanse and purify the heart, not only as water washes off the dirt on the outside, but as fire clears out the dross that is within, and melts down the metal, that it may be cast into a new mould. John was an affectionate preacher; he was beseeching; he pressed things home upon his hearers. He was a practical preacher; quickening them to their duty, and directing them in it. He was a popular preacher; he addressed the people, according to their capacity. He was an evangelical preacher. In all his exhortations, he directed people to Christ. When we press duty upon people, we must direct them to Christ, both for righteousness and strength. He was a copious preacher; he shunned not to declare the whole counsel of God. But a full stop was put to John's preaching when he was in the midst of his usefulness. Herod being reproved by him for many evils, shut up John in prison. Those who injure the faithful servants of God, add still greater guilt to their other sins.

Verses 21-22 Christ did not confess sin, as others did, for he had none to confess; but he prayed, as others did, and kept up communion with his Father. Observe, all the three voices from heaven, by which the Father bare witness to the Son, were pronounced while he was praying, or soon after, Lu. 9:35 ; Joh. 12:28 . The Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and there came a voice from heaven, from God the Father, from the excellent glory. Thus was a proof of the Holy Trinity, of the Three Persons in the Godhead, given at the baptism of Christ.

Verses 23-38 Matthew's list of the forefathers of Jesus showed that Christ was the son of Abraham, in whom all the families of the earth are blessed, and heir to the throne of David; but Luke shows that Jesus was the Seed of the woman that should break the serpent's head, and traces the line up to Adam, beginning with Eli, or Heli, the father, not of Joseph, but of Mary. The seeming differences between the two evangelists in these lists of names have been removed by learned men. But our salvation does not depend upon our being able to solve these difficulties, nor is the Divine authority of the Gospels at all weakened by them. The list of names ends thus, "Who was the son of Adam, the son of God;" that is, the offspring of God by creation. Christ was both the son of Adam and the Son of God, that he might be a proper Mediator between God and the sons of Adam, and might bring the sons of Adam to be, through him, the sons of God. All flesh, as descended from the first Adam, is as grass, and withers as the flower of the field; but he who partakes of the Holy Spirit of life from the Second Adam, has that eternal happiness, which by the gospel is preached unto us.